Diets High in Calories
If you eat more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight. That’s bad not only for your general health, but for your asthma specifically. People who are obese are more likely to have more severe asthma symptoms, take more medication, and miss more work than people who maintain a normal weight.
Food
Allergies
Many people have food intolerances such as lactose intolerance, but these
are not true allergies and rarely worsen asthma. Only about 2% of
adults with asthma have true food allergies to milk, eggs, shellfish,
peanuts, or other foods. When exposed to even small amounts of the foods to
which they have become allergic, these people can have life-threatening
anaphylactic attacks, including bronchospasm, which requires
immediate asthma medication.
Preservative
Sensitivities
Sulfites, which are used to keep food fresh and stop the growth of mold, can
trigger temporary asthma symptoms in a few people with asthma. Sulfites can
give off sulfur dioxide that can irritate the lungs. Sulfites are no longer
added to fresh fruits and vegetables in the U.S. But they are still used in
many processed foods, and may also be in condiments, dried fruits, canned
vegetables, wine, and other foods.